Week 8: Nanotech and Art

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Nanotechnology is a highly integrated field between physics, engineering, and the sciences and has a huge potential for integration. The world of nanotech is vast and has an entire new aesthetic unlike our day-to-day experiences, and on the quantum scale, even new laws of physics.

Nanotechnology can be used to produce art in many different ways. Christian Orfescu, a materials scientist who runs an analytical lab at Caleb Technology, uses his research to produce what he calls "nanoart." He began organizing an annual competition called NanoArt 21 for similarly inclined artists, with the goal of raising awareness of nanotechnology in the 21st century and its impact on our lives. An example of his art is displayed to the left, produced by nano-scale images.

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Victoria Vesna and James Gimzewski's NANO exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art allows humans to explore the nano world first hand through different art-making exhibits. The installations encourage guests to question the nanoscience behind the exhibit and experience what nanoscientists study on a daily basis. This is particularly interesting to me since I spent a few years working at the Tech Museum in San Jose, which featured a similar style of exhibits. These exhibits help engage people, especially the young, in science through the use of art.

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Of the topics we have discussed so far in class, unique to the integration of nanotechnology and art is that nanotech can also be applied to assist art. Piero Baglioni of Italy’s Research Center for Colloids and Surface Science is Project Manager of the NANOFORART project, which uses nanotechnology to engineer safer art conservation methods. The image to the right displays the result of cleaning and restoration by NANOFORART microemulsion. The process is safer and more effective than normal methods while lasting longer.


References:

1. Gimzewski, James. "Nanotech for Artists." YouTube. YouTube, 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 May 2017.
2. Feder, Barnaby J. "The Art of Nanotech." The New York Times. The New York Times, 25 Jan. 2008. Web. 28 May 2017.
3. "About NANO." UCLA Arts. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2017.
4. "The Fine Art of Nanotech." Horizon 2020. European Commission, 23 July 2015. Web. 28 May 2017.
5. Gimzewski, Jim, and Victoria Vesna. "The Nanomeme Syndrome." Victoria Vesna. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2017.